Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for processing films in packaging machines.
Packaging machines for forming packages from a film continuously unwound from a film roll are known. In some occasions, for example, in the case that the film of the film roll being used (hereinafter called “old film roll”) has been used up, the film of the old film roll may be connected to a film of a new film roll by way of a film connecting device, so that the old film roll can be exchange with the new film roll. In order to minimize troublesome operations by the operator, it is desirable to automate the operation for exchanging the old film roll with the new film roll. To this end, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-264509 has proposed a connecting device that utilizes a robot.
However, in the above publication, the robot operates only for transferring a film roll between a pallet and the connecting device. The robot is not fully used for the connecting operation.
Therefore, there has been a need in the art for methods and systems for processing films in packaging machines, which can take advantage of use of a robot.